Crate BV120H Blue Voodoo

Pretty simple rig. Two channels, independent reverb for each channel, effects loop with remote switch, 8 or 16 ohm impedence selector, line out, presence, etc etc. Judging by the tarnished brass hardware, I believe I have an older model. It's got all I need.

Oh, and it's loud as hell.

I was a bit disappointed when I first plugged this thing in at home. I didn't have the advantage of an in-store test drive because I bought it off eBay. No worries, though. I followed the advice of a few previous reviewers and I retubed it with Chinese 12AX7 preamp tubes, and Electro Harmonix EL34 power tubes, ran an EQ through the FX loop, and it's been resurrected! I play mostly metal and hard rock, and I like a tight bottom end for palm muting. Before I retubed it, the overdrive was not brutal enough for me. It sounded too ragged, and the bottom end was loose and flabby. A good sound if you're into classic rock, surf, or blues, but not a favorable metal tone. After the retubing, it's perfectly well suited for what I play. I don't even need to keep the 10 anymore! I think the chinese preamp tubes made the biggest difference over the old Sovteks they had in there. I replaced those first for a sound comparison, and already it was much improved. The Electro Harmonix EL34s just further rounded out the sound.
Pre retubing: I'd give it a 7. Post-retubing: 9

I admit, it's a bit rough around the edges (ESPECIALLY STOCK!), but for 400 bucks? Shit man, I'll take that! Consider it a work in progress. The only other issue I've had with it is the reverb. When I have the reverb turned up on channel one, channel two will make quiet funky noises that kind of sound like when you have water in your ears. I'm not sure what that's about, but I can live with it. I just keep channel one's reverb down.

Some advice for the haters:
If you don't like the shrillness, ease up on the presence, or run an EQ through the fx loop. It makes a big difference.

My arsenal:
Schecter A-7 Diamond Series
Ibanez RG 220 with a DiMarzio [something or other]in the bridge
Heavily modified Kramer [something or other] with EMG selects

Never had a problem with Crate.

No idea.

I think the main thing that makes this amp unfavorable to a lot of people is the big old "CRATE" logo on the front. This is a good solid amp, and I got my money's worth.

new 2005.Clean channel is pretty lame.It has a efx loop but Im thinkin if ya wanna fuck with the sound this makes, buy something else.This thing is all about super high gain monster tone.

I use LP custom,LP voodoo,sometimes SG, mostly the ESP truckster.The rythm guy in my band has a jmp without a master.He's loud.I tried my plexi, mesa heartbreaker, and even a randall and couldnt be herd over him without using brute force volume.I finally tried this BV120 and fell in love.I aint gotta be so loud, it cuts real nicely.Has a killer hi gain sound thats not for everyone, but for me its the one.Pretty much useless for recording, practicing, thank god I got a guy to move the thing It weighs a ton.Get a light road case for it,I did and aint had no problems

I fear the circuitboard may someday fry.Came with GT's.I travel alot with it,all kinds of climates,all kinds of drunks handling it.In and outta the van.So far it's holdin up like new (about 6 months. cant say my other amps are any better)

who knows? st luis music company.... sounds sketchy

Look,this is the thing sammy hagar uses.He's a has been who aint really got a sound to remember right.What it does is super high gain.Actually a more powerful sound then my EL34 based amps.It's got a gay ass built in light show, its practically impossible to read the knobs in all but the brightest light,it weighs more then my mother in law, and let's face it, it's got absolutly no prestiege whatsoever. I LOVE THE STINKIN THING. I plan to be buried in it someday

Ok waited a long time before writing this, bought the amp last year brand new. Like many of you i tought it sounded great in the store, but back home i went hmmmm, and with my band went uh oh... This sound familiar ? So bought an EQ put it in the effects loops, better but still not what i wanted. Played around with the EQ for a month, bought a distortion pedal still not what i wanted, and finally ended up playind trought a pod 2.0 in the effects loop. After bout 8 months of this just for the fun of it i unplugged the pod and played the amp, i then realized how much digital the pod sounded and missed the real thing..

So here's the solution to all you BV heads... V1 12at7 to warm up the clean, GT 12ax7 mullard in the V2 gain stage and the rest i put in 12ax7 Electro Harmonix. For the power tubes ordered a matched quartet of TAD 12ax7GC-STR from tubes store, and had the bias recalibrated by a technician... Went back to the band and fired this baby up still with an EQ trought the FX loop, everybody just went HOLY SHIT !!! Just wish i had done this 8 months ago loll. Before the new tubes my EQ settings were like so Bass 8 mid 1 treble 3 presence 0, gain on 5.5 volume on 7 with the band and it sounded wayyy to thin, the distortion was so shitty, no harmonic content, no balls... Now i got Bass on 7 mid on 4.5 and treble on 6, presence on 1, gain on 4 and volume on 4 and man does it have balls ! The more you turn the volume up the better it sounds !! We play stuff like Godsmack, Disturbed, Creed, Alter Bridge, Velvet Revolver, Staind... With this settings it's got the exact same tone has Godsmack who by the way play on Boogies...And i wont even talk about the clean execpt that you wont need a fender twin anymore.

Been playin for 13-14 years, my axe his a PRS Tremonti. It's all in there guys, just can't understand why Crate puts in such shitty tubes. So do yourself a favor change the tubes like i did, if your into the same kinda music try my tube configuration you'll thank me, you'll sound like a god damn freight train in your band, your bandmates wont believe your tone suddenly, huge and powerfull with plenty of punch.

So found a way to turn this baby into a monster tone machine and am not affraid to AB this amp with any other amp out there. You can definitly sound like the big boys with this amp. Would've given this amp a 5 a couple of months ago, but it's a 10 it just needs a little tweakin' Good luck !

You know, if not keep reading!!
only reason this gets a seven is due to the increasing number of 3 and more channel amps with effects which adds diversity, although i use a modeling system so this is of no matter But its a tube head and usually they have no effects, and there are still plenty of 1 and 2 channel heads!! I think it looks sharp, some people think it is tacky. Most people who are not guitarists think it looks cool, and once i overheard some guy yappin about "crate sux" and "my marshall would piss on it". It reminded me of when that guy in the beat-ass camaro said...Mitsubishi eclipse? Thats a chick car 4 cylinder?? Race!! Sure!!!!(as he laughed) Easiest 200$ I ever made.(this occured in the late ninetys before the import boom(i.e. the Fast and tha Furious!) happened. He had no way of knowing that a turbo 4 cylinder was capable of close to 300 hp, and all wheel drive gave me the holeshot by far!!

Th clean is awesome. Loud as hell. Breaks up nice if you want. For me that is great. I run a boss gt-8. into the pa its blah. Into a solid state amp its pretty good. Into the crate- I love it. The tube tone gives the modeled sounds Bite and Flavor(not to mention brutal punch!!) The distortion mode is pretty nice. Its good enough for metal and sounds great for classic rock. All the arguments about it not being true tube, im not sure. dont know why it needs 4 preamp tubes if its not all-tube. Now it goes pretty low, but you need speakers. This needs a good cab to punch. I had the cheapo crate cab for years, and got by, but was definately not the dominating setup on stage. But I now have 4 eminence black powders in that cab and it does get down there without much fuss. I recommend keeping the gain low(under half, i have it at about 10 o'clock, for metal!!) as it just gets too muddy too high. I'd say the distortion is better than all cheap heads(solid state), and some other tube heads. Its not quite marshall/mesa, but at only 700$ new, it shouldn't be. But its a good middle ground, and a wonderful option for intermediate or poor guitarists who need more than a practice amp or no name amp. In my case its incredible, and with the mesa rectifier patch on my boss GT-8, it's a firebreathing MONSTER!!!! My gear snobby guitarist no longer thinks modeling sux!!! souds a 7, but gets an 8 for value/sound!!

I have had this amp since I got it new in early 2001.(4 1/2 years ago!) It has hundreds of hours of full volume jamming on it, and I only just this week put new tubes in it!!(didn't think it was bad until I heard it with the new tubes!!Forgot it was this loud!!) I do not own a road case, and usually chuck it on the floor in my old jeep. It has sat in damp basements and garages, been frozen(heater died in 10 below winter days!!) and has not skipped a beat. 50$ in new sovtek wxt plus's and the thing ROARS!!

never had to deal with em

It gets a nine for being the best 700$ I ever spent, and gave me the ability to explore modeling. If i had a marshall, i wouldnt ever use modeling, and trust me it's nice to have 10 different distortion and 10 cleans. all in one handy pedal!!

2 channels. If this had a 3rd channel that was truely clean, or even a switch for channel 1 that would clean it up, it would get a 10.
Effects loop, including the ability to toggle effects loop off and on which is a nice feature.

All tube.

I purchased this used. I have not opened it up to see what kind of tubes are in there yet, but this thing sounds better than identical crates in the store (which I only would give an 8). I could not be happier. I am using an ibanez s470 with stock pups and a jackson js30 also with stock pups.

The amp is a little noisy on the high gain channel with everything pushed all the way, but it is not bad at all and I can live with it.

The "clean" channel gets dirty pretty quickly and I don't think it is designed for much clean use, but for rhythem and blues stuff the tone is awesome. For my clean though, I will be running through a solid state amp as I am usually happier with solid state clean.

This amp has enough distortion for almost anybody, including metallica, megadeth, pantera...etc. If you really need more, just put a booster in front of; I picked up an ibanez ts7 for $25 on ebay, and it works well with this amp, although I do not find much need for it myself.

I do find myself having to turn the highs down more than recommended; they seem pretty boosted on this amp making me wonder if this thing was modded in the past..

Well, it is a tube amp and I have only owned it for a short time. I have a Kustom quad 200 as a solid state backup so I am not worried. I am not rating this cat as I have not had the amp long enough.

never called.

I would buy this amp again (unless I had a lot of money to throw away on a Marshall DSL...but that's not happening anytime soon so...), but I would choose a vendor more carefully next time. I bought this through instrumentexchange.com, the clearing house online that guitar center uses, and some of those salesmen on instrument exchange, especially the guitar center guys are SHADY. Buyer beware!

I bought this because I couldn't afford a Marshall, and it sounds just as good. I chose this product because it was all tube, sounded good to me, and affordable. I generally do not like Crate, but this is a good piece of equipment.

I bought this amp at Guitar Center in early 2002, so could've been built in 2001 or earlier.

This amp really sucked for the 4 years I've had it. I just recently changed the tubes and re-biased the amp, and you wouldn't believe how awesome this amp sounds now. It doesn't even sound like a Crate anymore! When I first bought the amp, I had it biased 'Hot', which was a big mistake.

This is what I did to improve the amp's tone: From tubestore.com, I bought matching JJ 6L6GC power tubes for $70.00, 3 Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 pre-amp tubes for $8.95 each, and 1 GE JG-5751 pre-amp tube (used for toning down high gain guitar amps) for $19.95. I put this tube in the second pre-amp slot (recommended by a previous reviewer). Next, I took the amp to get it re-biased to spec (do not get it biased hot! This thing is already loaded with way too much gain).

I also changed the front 'Crate' insignia to the back as previous reviewers have done. I love it when someone comes up to me and asks "Dude, that amp sounds f***ing awesome! What is it?". They are in shock when I tell'em it's a Crate Blue Voodoo.

I use a DeArmond M-75 with Gibson '57 Classic Plus pickup for a clean, smooth, buttery, punk rock and rock n roll sound (Sex Pistols), and a Cort JTriggs design guitar with Dimarzio X2N pickup for a killer old school metal sound that's perfectly balanced (Kill'em All, Show No Mercy). I have 4 12" Celestion Vintage 30's in my cab and I keep the gain anywhere between 3 and 5 and it just rips! Unbelievable! My friends can't believe it. I can't believe it. No noise at all. No need to buy a Marshall or Mesa Boogie now. I've found a way to create tone on this baby that has been raised to the level of the big boys! FYI...Groove Tubes are not a tube manufacturer. It is a company that buys tubes from tube manufacturers and re-labels them. You don't know what your getting from Groove Tubes. Go to www.tubestore.com for more info on tubes.

I've never had a problem with it, so I give it a 10. I'd have no problem gigging with this baby, but it is heavy as fuck!

I asked them what the recommended bias setting was for this amp and they gave it to me. I think the warranty is for 5 years.

If you're into that Marshall JCM 800 sound, but looking for a cheaper alternative, buy this amp and do the mods I described above and you won't be dissapointed. Not only can it get that sound, but you can also get far greater distortion than a JCM by raising the gain to around 5. The gain on JCM's have got nothing on this, at least not the one's I've played through. The clean channel is OK, but I never really mess with it too much anyway.

If you're interested, you can go to my website at www.myspace.com/surfnazis

tight clean sound when needed with a soft fuzz over it for old school sound.Can go from deep bass to high treble.

Iplay a standard american strat through it w/mix match pickups.with overdrive i play nirvana which it produces a nice but not to muddy grunge sound whcih makes it sound cleaner but you can hear everything at least.when playing the blues through it i turn the bass up a little more and put thi mid at about 5 to produce a generic SRV sound that allows me to hear his sound yet my owntwist at the same time. versatile to recreate some one elses sound yet leave it different enough to be your own.

ive put this amp through many road trips not in a secure case and it has always played the same when i plug it in everytime.due to it being tube though i recomend a case anyway.

no costumer support yet

bad ass and i love it to the bone

2004 model. Wish it had a 4 ohm output. I set the gain at only 1 1/2 or so and when I want more for lead I kick a pedal. Works for me.

Read all the reviews for the BV120H, then go read the reviews for the Marshall JCM 2000 DSL100. They sound the same, the difference is the name on the outside. I own them both and the only reason the Marshall "sounds better" has to be the fact that it says Marshall on the front.
Of course it looks better to have a Marshall on stage but as far as the distortion sound it is so close a blindfold test would enbarrass a lot of folks. I have the settings (with stock tubes; after trying a myriad of different tubes)on the BV120H all up on the tone controls,
1 1/2 on the gain, straight up on the presence, all up on the reverb.
With a Fender USA Vintage Strat it makes the same sound as the DSL100,
period! If you try to say it isn't so, I know you are full of shite, I own them both, so I have a new respect for the poor dissed Blue Voodoo. It was there all the time, baby! If you need to be convinced, do a blind test, I dare you! I also happen to like the clean sound on either of these amps, the BV120H has more of a biting edge that cuts through, but the DSL100 has a longer reverb tank and does the twang a little better. Everyone is giving the DSL100 a "10" on the sound rating, ha, so I have to at least put in a 9 for something that sounds the same!!! On second thought, it should be a "10".
BTW, there was a past reviewer that did an AB with a DSL and came to the same result.

1 year and still going.

Don't know, been through St. Louis but never stopped. Waved but didn't see anything. It was at night though.

It's one of the most under rated amps on the market. I do not hesitate at all to recommend it. If you like the JCM 2000 DSL's, you will like this and be able to afford it. They are too close to call as far as sound. For the price the BV120H is a bargain, and that makes it a "10".
Head's up, don't buy a "modded" amp.

Made in 2005. Its the redesigned model. Pretty sure the guts are the same as the old Blue Voodoos just a new outside. I think it looks better then the old ones if that counts for anything. 4 12ax7s 4 6l6s (groove tubes). 2 channel EFX loop w/reverb. 100 watts, more then enough power for using with my band. Pretty basic tube amp. Bought mine new from Guitar Center about 2 months ago. I have been using Line 6s for a while and figured it was time to step up to real tube amp.

I have 2 guitars I use this amp with. One is a ESP Viper 400 with EMG 81s and the other is an Epi G400 with a Duncan '59/Dimebucker combo (both guitars are tuned to C with 54-12 stirngs). I play in a band that mixes Stoner Metal with Hardcore (think Hatebreed and Corrosion of Conformity thrown together) and it seems to hold its own tone wise. The amp does have some fuzz and static to it i run a boss NS-2 through the loop right now and it takes away most of it. I really like the Distortion on the amp and dont know why people knock it so much. Yes it does have a solid stateness to it but thats kinda what I dig about it. You cant expect to spend this much on an amp and get a Boogie tone out of it. All the guys out there in the "hardcore" scene are playing Dual Rectos or 5150s and im really sick of hearing about those 2 amps. Yeah they are cool and all but everyone plays them. I wanted a good tone that not every I know has, The Blue Voodoo gives it. I dont play clean that much but I can say its better then a clean on a 5150, Through EMGs the clean is brittle (but thats EMGS for you) but it gets alot better when I use my guitar with the Duncans. As for the distortion channel this amp is really love it or hate it. I dig the tone of the amp and bought it cause I knew it would mix well with the other elements of my band, and it does that very well, playing by yourself there is something to be desired but I have a practice amp already I needed something that was a good sounding tube Halfstack for around 1200 bucks and I found it in the Blue Voodoo. I think alot of people rate this amp low in the distorion catagory because of the guitars they use. This amp varies A LOT depending on what pickups you are using and how you EQ it for each guitar. My settings for my ESP and my Epi are totally different. One other thing I think makes this amp better is pitching the crappy Groove tubes. Im running Electro Harmonix 12ax7s in the preamp and JJ 6l6s in the power amp Really opens up the tone. Get good cables too, I use monsters in the loop, from my guitar, and from head to the cab (BV 4x12 with Celestions) and it cleans it up some. Too many people don't realize how important good cables are. I like this amp a lot end of story. I gave it a 7 because it isnt a Boogie or ENGL or Dieziel or whatever. Those amps caost alot more then this one and you get what you pay for. But I think this amp has the best tone out of all the other amps in its price range (I think it stomps my friend's 5150)

When the world is destroyed in a hail storm of Nuclear bombs 3 things will be left: Cockroaches, Cher, and Crate Amplifiers. Ive seen horrific things happen to these amps along with Crates in general and they keep running. Its a tube amps and you never know with them but id trust it for as much as I play out

Ive been playing for about 7 years. Ive owned: Line 6 spider combo, Line 6 Flex 3 combo, Marshall Valvestate II head with 1960a cab. As you can tell the Blue Voodoo is the best amp Ive owned. However I have played 5150s and Boogies for periods of time. I needed a real tube amp and like I said before This was the best half stack in my price range. With some simple upgrades I have a great sounding, durable amp that will last me till I wanna get rid of it (which may be never). It works well with my band, Great distortion tone with out distortion pedals (HATE THEM).This amp might not have the best tone Ive ever heard but its better then every pedal Ive ever heard. Max from Soulfly uses them, Billy from Biohazard uses them, and I think the guy from Cannible Corpse uses them, while not huge fans of any of those bands I think their guitar tones are pretty cool. I have used this amp in standard tuning and I wasnt really impressed. I think it is suited better for low tuned metal (C and B). When im out of college maybe Ill buy a better amp but until then this will keep me more then happy.

The Blue Blue Voodoo, new in 2004. Has all the features I need.
I just need someone to carry it for me.

I have owned it since Sept , 04. I used it for about 3 months, then went to a few other amps that aren't so heavy to move around. Recently I thought I would try my "new", "kicks serious ass" made from three guitars, Parts/Peavey/EPS/Strat with 22.5 ohm humbucks and I could not get a decent sound at all out of this amp, all super static! This guitar sounds awsome in every other amp I have except the Crates!
Then it occurred to me to try a weak vintage pickup style guitar and voila! There was the sound I thought it had when I first got the amp.
Vintage Strats are around 6.0 ohms or so. I think WEAK pickups are the KEY to getting rid of the STATIC distortion on ALL Crate amps! Even when I turned the gain all the way up it still sounded very good with no buzz/static. I can sustain a note endlessly up there.
I can see a definite use for this amp again in the future.
I'm going to install some Mighty Mites (alnicos 5.2 ohms) in another MIM Strat that has Mexican ceramics in it now and see if that sounds even better. You've gotta try this, man, THE WEAKER PICKUPS THE BETTER FOR THIS AMP, no bull! BTW, I am using the tubes the amp came with, Groove Tubes. (For the record, I also have a Marshall Plexi, DSL 50, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe to compare sounds with. The Plexi is sweeeeet!)
With a weak pickup this BV120H amp is a new sound altogether, I think it would make a great surfin' or SRV amp. The way to get there is the opposite of what I would normally do, but it works, IT WORKS!
(I also flipped the amp around in the box like the previous reviewer,
just take the amp out from the back, turn it around (leave the screen alone)put the amp back in, then put the wood cover back on which is now the front, no drilling no nothin'.)
I want to be able to use this BV120H amp because I sure do not want to drag my Plexi around to stinking gigs. I believe I have found the key to making it [BV120H] work and now I don't have to kick myself for having bought it. Familiar?

No problems so far.

Heard they are good but no experience with them.

I'd like to give it a higher rating but man it is hard to get sounds that are usable compared to the standards in the industry. It shouldn't have to be so darn different than the rest.
I have a lot of gear and I like to use the best sounding yet most
expendable equipment for travelling jobs. So I never give up trying to find a way to make the cheap stuff sound good. Weak single coil alnico
pickups 6 ohms and less really make this amp usable again, thank God.
Before you give yours away try it again with the Fender vintage single coils, you might like it.